According to a report by
SaharaReporters, a resident of Borno
state has said that Nigeria’s Deputy
Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari
who is being investigated for the
extent of his connection with
suspected fraudster, Ramon Olorunwa
Abbas, alias Hushpuppi, sells cars he
seizes from kidnappers and armed
robbers in Maiduguri, the state
capital.
The resident in a private message to a
Nigerian academic and media scholar,
Farooq Kperogi also claimed Kyari has
enriched himself through proceeds of
corruption.
According to the anonymous resident,
Kyari is not a millionaire but a
billionaire, who has more than 20
properties in a posh area in his state,
Borno.
Kperogi said: “Na wa o. This is what
someone from Maiduguri sent to my
inbox in response to my column. It is
unedited and unverified but
interesting nonetheless: ‘Everyone in
Maiduguri knew that Kyari is
extremely rich, he gives out cars,
monies and sells those he seized from
the kidnappers and armed robbers at
some selected car stands in Maiduguri
and Abuja, as at now he’s building a
big plaza along Gombole Road near
Giwa Barracks and bought the
neighbouring plaza.
‘There’s sign post he stood and
snapped a picture where street was
name after him, that’s New GRA or
Bama GRA he has more 20 properties
there!
‘You can independently find out from
those who knows him, he has
properties to his named in lagos,
abuja etc, I call him super rich, he
surpasses IGP Kamseleem.
‘What those kidnappers were saying is
very true, I developed interest on
what he’s doing when I read Evans
interview where he said what Abba
and his team took from his house was
far beyond what they declared….he’s
not a millionaire but billionaire.
‘He moves in convoys when in
Maiduguri and brazenly go round his
properties.’”
SaharaReporters had reported how
Kperogi also quoted a resident of
Borno saying Kyari was building a
mansion on Jemina Road of Damboa,
with its gate made of glass and steel.
The resident alleged that the police
chief offered N70 million to a
neighbour who has a house behind
his mansion “so he can have his
house out of the way to enable him
have straight access to the main road
from this mansion.”
“Good evening Prof. Just reading your
post on the Abba Kyari saga. It didn’t
come to me as a surprise. Kyari is so
super rich for the job he does. He is
building a mansion on Jemina road of
Damboa, that house is something else.
It is the first gigantic double-gated
house I’m seeing in Maiduguri, the
gate is made of glass and steel.
“He wanted paying (sic) of a
neighbour who has a house behind
him 70 million naira so he can have
his house out of the way to enable
him have straight access to the main
road from this mansion. And with a
couple of people who have told
stories implicating him, and them
being shut up, it doesn’t come as a
surprise at all,” Kperogi quoted the
Borno resident as saying.
The Inspector General of Police,
Usman Alkali Baba, has recommended
the immediate suspension of Kyari,
who is also the Head of the Police
Intelligence Response Team (IRT),
from the service of the Nigeria Police
Force, pending the investigation of
fraud allegations against him.
The IGP, in his letter to the Police
Service Commission, dated 31st July,
2021, noted that the recommendation
for the suspension of the officer, is in
line with the internal disciplinary
processes of the Force.
The United States Attorney’s Office,
Central District of California, had
issued an arrest warrant against Kyari
for his alleged links to Hushpuppi,
who is standing trial for various
offences that include internet fraud
and money laundering.
Hushpuppi has since pleaded guilty to
the charges and, if convicted, risks a
20-year-jail term, three-year
supervision upon completion of jail
term and monetary restitution to the
tune of $500,000 or more.
US court documents also outlined a
dispute Hushpuppi had with a
member of his gang, which allegedly
prompted him to arrange to have an
individual identified as ‘co-
conspirator’ Kelly Chibuzor Vincent,
jailed in Nigeria by DCP Kyari.
According to the affidavit, “Kyari is a
highly decorated deputy commissioner
of the Nigeria Police Force who is
alleged to have arranged for Vincent
to be arrested and jailed at Abbas’
behest, and then sent Abbas
photographs of Vincent after his
arrest.
“Kyari also allegedly sent Abbas bank
account details for an account into
which Abbas could deposit payment
for Vincent’s arrest and
imprisonment.”